BSR Newsletter #7: Get (really) Specific When You Market

You need to be very specific when you create your marketing materials.

Why? Because if you try to tell everyone what you do in a general way- people will either get confused or think you don’t really know what you’re doing! If you have read Better, Smarter, Richer then you know that what I call ‘mission creep’ can creep everywhere. Especially into your marketing materials.

This is hard work because being a creative often means you have an expansive personality and think in a “Big Picture” way. Getting specific means you have to rein in your thinking and become more of a micro processor than a macro processor. It also means you have to know why you are great at what you do.

Choosing exactly the right words and the right description of what you do and what you have to offer is how you are going to distinguish yourself from the zillions of your competitors – who are also approaching your potential clients. You can’t ever forget that fact!

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What makes me truly different in my market?

2. What is it about my work that cannot be found anywhere else and is created by no one but me?

If you don’t know, ask your clients! Then use their words to describe your services.

I tell people to create marketing materials as if they were writing for someone else they admire. It can be hard to toot your own horn- but you have to in today’s business world. Be bold and get out there and show how you are the best in your field by getting specific when you market. How about this one:

Alison Teeter is an eMedia consultant for those who want to take their business to the next level.

(What does that mean? What next level? Doesn’t everyone want to go to the next level?!)

A better example:

Alison Teeter is an eMedia consultant who helps executive clients use eMedia marketing tools such as article marketing, online MP3 segments and guest blogging spots to create a higher profile on the internet in order to generate increased speaking and consulting fees.